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Seattle Fling 2011

On this Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day there are great clumps of bloomers and I can see a busy fall season of digging and dividing. Here the Thomas Affleck rose and Henryii lilies are lush and full of pollinators. You can also see a cloud of meadow rue flowers. I just love this section of the garden right next to the house.

Black Beauty lilies and crimson bee balm

This Bloom Day the Black Beauty lilies and the crimson bee balm make a great combo – even if they are standing exactly straight and tall.

This section of the North Lawn Bed is one of the places that whisper, ” Dig me! Divide me!” Phlox, pink and white, cone flower, Russian sage and even a lily that the deer missed at their luncheon party a few weeks ago.

This is another section of the North Lawn Bed where Achillea “the Pearl is rampant in front of sunny “Mardi Gras”. On the other side of the path you can see a passalong and nameless yarrow, bits of Blue Paradise phlox and Connecticut Yankee delphinium.

Yarrow

I don’t think this yarrow is Coronaation Gold, but I am going to cut it and see if it dries well.

Ann Varner daylily

Of course, August is daylily season and Ann Varner is at her peak.

The Fairy rose

Except for Thomas Affleck and The Fairy, rose season is over.

Cimicifuga

The tall candles of cimicifuga, snakeroot, look very cool in the shade of the ancient apple tree.

Artemesia lactiflora

Like the meadow rue, Artemesia lactiflora has very unusual airy blossoms, but dark foliage.

Hydrangea ‘Limelight’

The hydrangeas are in bloom. ’Mothlight’ the oldest is almost as tall as the weeping birch next to it. ‘Limelight’ is very happy and the oakleaf hydrangea is recovering from deer browing. The bucket loader is there because our driveway is actually town road and the road crew is repairing damage by our heavy rain storms. There hasn’t been an unusual amount of rain, but when it comes, it comes down hard and all at once.

Toremia

Toremia is a new annual to me. It grows on the Bridge of Flowers and love it. No deadheading necessary.

Cuphea

Cuphea is another new-to-me annual growing in pots in front of the house. The colors are fabulous!

Love Lies Bleeding

I first saw Love Lies Bleeding, an amaranth, planted in the ground at Wave Hill in New York. I was stunned by the aptness of its name, and at Wave Hill it was a heroic love that had died bleeding. I think I will have to plant it in the ground next year. I am perplexed by the differently shapped pendant flower cluster. One looks like pompoms and the other more tassel-like. Any ideas?

For more of what is blooming over this great land visit Carol, our hostess, over at May Dreams Gardens on this Bloom Day.

On this sunny, cool (72 degrees) but breezy, Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, bloom is beginning to arrive. These stocks are in the Herb Bed right in front of the house, where there is also an array of potted geraniums, petunias and such. They are not doing terribly well because the weather remains so cool.

Rhododendron ‘Calsap’

Calsap will stand in for all the plants in the corner that have gone by, the 2 tree peonies, as well as Boule de Neige and Rangoon rhodies. The herbaceous peonies are late, but there are a couple of fat buds. The advantage to me, and visitors to the Annual Rose Viewing on June 29 is that there will be lots of peony bloom, as well as rose bloom.

Siberian iris

Siberian irises are just beginning. White ones too.

L. martagon ‘Album’

I didn’t really have any idea of the delicacy of this martagon lily when I bought it from Old House Gardens. This is my first bloom year with it and it is only about 3 feet tall, but it is said to need some patience. Perhaps next year it will be a bit taller. I think it is just beautiful.

Rugosa rose ‘Agnes’

I’ve mislabelled this elsewhere, but this is the ‘Agnes’ the first of the rugosas to bloom. The rugosas in general are the first roses to bloom and I have quite a few.

Scabrosa

Another rugosa, Scabrosa, is spreading every which way on the Rose Walk.

Rugosa Therese Bugnet

Therese Bugnet is a dependable rugosa, even after like the winter we have just “enjoyed.”

Blanc Double de Coubert

Blanc Double de Coubert, a popular white rugosa took a beating this winter, but it is reviving.

Dart’s Dash rugosa

On the other hand, Dart’s Dash is spreading beautifully on the Rose Bank. You can see the distinctive ribbed rugosa foliage on all these plants. No bugs. No disease.

Purington’s Pink is a rose that just exploded. You can see all the new growth in this photo. It didn’t mind the winter at all. Purington Pink was given to me by Herb and Barbara Purington who farm in Colrain.

Rose season is just beginning. Other perennials in bloom are May Night Salvia, Joan Elliot campanula, Achillea Paprika, trollius, and a host of volunteer pansies. I do not object to pansies or any other volunteers. I do object to deer that have eaten lily buds, Japanese anemone and veronicas!

Thank you Carol for hosting Garden Bloggers Bloom Day over at May Dreams Gardens. There is a lot to see in gardens all across the nation at this time of year.

For me, Garden Bloggers Bloom Day is a bust this month. This poinsettia has been living happily on our dining table, in front of a big southern window since Christmas. At night we close the lined curtains, to slightly moderate heat loss. I’ve kept it watered, but yesterday I came downstairs and when I opened the curtains I saw that it was withered and drooping. I don’t think it was below 32 degrees in our living space, but it was cool. Did several nights of zero degree temperatures prove too much for it? What happened? Any ideas?

Cyclamen

This cyclamen did pretty well on this uncurtained windowsill, but a couple of weeks ago I noticed that the window side of the plant was dying. I suspect the plant will recover. In the fall. Unlike poinsettias, cyclamen don’t mind cold weather, although putting it right next to window was probably too much to ask.

That is my sad report on this Garden Bloggers Bloom Day in February 2014, but I am sure you will find many happier stories if you click here. I can always count on our hos Carol over at May Dreams Gardens for optimism.

On this Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day in my Massachusetts hilltop garden we have come through only one good frost, but the garden is slowly falling to sleep. Thomas Affleck is still blooming, and sporadic blossoms are still being thrown out by The Fairy, Meideland red and white, Hawkeye Belle and Knock Out Double Red.

The Fairy

Grandpa Ott

Grandpa Ott is a morning glory that is still blooming, in front of the house and down in the Potager, as we grandly call the vegetable garden. The Potager is still enjoying blooming annual salvia, annual gomphrena, zinnias, and Agastache ‘Cana’ which will definitely have to be divided in the spring!

Blue lobelia

The standard blue lobelia has been quietly blooming all summer long.

Japanese anemone

I love my Japanese anemone – and so do the deer. Not much is left of her.

‘Starlet’ spoon mums

‘Starlet’ spoon mum is struggling a bit, but I appreciate her golden face.

It has been quite a summer! Rain all through June. Drought all through July. And a very dry August, so you can imagine how I welcome the 2 inches of rain last week. The garden has been thirsty most of the season so some plants have really suffered, but bloom will entirely be denied. Alma Potchke has just begun to bloom

Neon sedum

Right next to Alma Potchke is this sedum which I think is Neon. It doesn’t look that bright, but I like it, and it hasn’t minded the variable weather. Hot. Cold. Dry. Wet.

Lisianthus

This spring I planted a flat of the tiniest lisianthus seedlings. It is only this month that I have gotten any blooms. This is a real ‘florist’s flower’ and it is beautiful, but I think it needs a little more cosseting than I tend to give my plants. You can see there is a remnant of a phlox next to it, and remnants of phlox appear in a ragged way throughout the garden.

Japanese anemone

This is the second year for this Japanese anemone. The clump is larger, but very short this year. I think maybe due to so much dry weather.

Cosmos

In the Herb Bed there is a small tangle of cosmos blooming with Grandpa Ott morning glory and fighting with the horseradish which I thought I had totally dug out.

Acidanthra

I stuck some extra acidanthra bulbs in the Herb Bed next to the bee balm. They do not show to best advantage here. That’s what happens when you’ve run out of time and thought in the spring. The acidanthra does not seem insulted however.

Thomas Affleck

The ever dependable Thomas Affleck rose continues to bloom at the end of the Herb Bed. There are occasional blooms on Buck roses, Hawkeye Belle and Folksinger, but this not rose season at the end of the road.

There are a few zinnias and gomphrena down in the vegetable garden, the hydrangeas look great and I am glad to note that the season is not over.

I am a day late, but still glad to join in Garden Bloggers Bloom Day hosted by Carol at May Dreams Gardens.

On this Garden Bloggers Bloom day there are some surprises. The weather should not surprise anymore, but it does, and often causes gnashing of teeth. In June we had a glorious 12 inches of rain. In July there was no rain! It was hot! An official heat wave. In August it has been much cooler and we had 4 inches of rain so far. Still there are lots of blooms in the un-irrigated flower gardens. The Daylily Bank is drawing down but Ann Varner is still magnificent.

Helenium “Mardi Gras”

In spite of the dry, and now cool weather the Helenium is a colorful clump.

Black Beauty lilies

I have to lie under them to get a shot of the Black Beauties. The blossoms of the lilies and the adjacent crimson bee balm are not very big this year. Note to self. More compost in this spot. The other lilies are also still blooming by the house.

Artemesia lactiflora

Artemesia lactiflora has much less dramatic blossoms, but they are dainty, and much taller than usual this year.

Achillea ‘The Pearl’

Achillea is another dainty flower, but a strong grower. The only other yarrow blooming now is the sulphur yellow variety. Nameless.

Joe Pye Weed

This new Joe Pye Weed has just come into bloom. I don’t know if it is a miniature, or just not fully feeling its oats this first year.

Echinacea and Miss Lingaard phlox

The big clump of Echinacea purpurea will need to be divided but it is gorgeous this year. The white phlox is Miss Lingaard and it should have bloomed in June! The Russian sage on the other side of the Echinacea is also blooming well.

Hydrangea ‘Limelight’

‘Limelight’ is the only one of the three ‘new’ hydrangeas to have recovered very well from a good browsing from the deer, but ‘Pinky Winky’ and the oakleaf hydrangea do have a few small blossoms.

Thomas Affleck rose

A visiting friend sighed that there were probably no roses anymore. Well, not quite. Thomas Affleck, as usual, is putting out a strong second flush, and other roses put out an occasional bloom

Folksinger

Folksinger, a Griffith Buck hybrid also put out a good second flush. I couldn’t resist taking this photo of his delicate decline. I do not think he has much strength left for this season.

Also blooming are the tall veronicas, very tall and deeply blue aconite, cimicifuga, a few zinnias and gomphrena. Not too bad, and there is still more to come which makes me happy.

To see what else is blooming across our great nation go to May Dreams Gardens where Carol hosts Bloom Day. Thank you Carol!

Last spring was early and hot and on Bloom Day there was a lot of bloom. Things are moving slowly this Bloom Day. This is an area of my lawn reduction project. Waldsteinia has spread over the past three years and I’m underplanted with daffodils.

Barren strawberry close up

Waldsteinia is a beautiful plant and it is just coming into bloom. It is not any kind of strawberry plant.

Miniature daffodils

These miniature daffodils are some of the daffs growing amid the barren strawberry

Miniature white daffodil

Some daffodils are growing in the grass. I haven’t gotten the groundcover this far.

Flowery Mead

My lawn is not fine turf. I call it a flowery mead. Right now it is blooming with blue and white violets, and of course, dandelions.

Forget Me Nots

Many of the spring bloomers are small, like these Forget Me Nots.

Grape hyacinths

TI can see these pale grape hyacinths from the house. The familiar blue ones are growing in the grass by the miniature daffs.

Yellow epimedium

I am so glad I gave epimediums a try. They are NOT too tender for Heath.

Primrose

This primrose did so well in a shady spot in back of the house I am planting more in this spot this year.

Forsythia

My forsythia is looking much better than usual, but that isn’t saying much.

Red orchid cactus

And my orchid cactus has gone wild!

I thank Carol at May Dreams Gardens for hosting Garden Bloggers Bloom day and giving us all a chance to see what is blooming across our great land today.

This little white cyclamen on my bedroom windowsill has been blooming and blooming for two months. At least. Our bedroom is very cool, down to 55 degrees at night so the cycalmen has been very happy here. I really need a cold bedroom to sleep well. My husband tolerates it. I might turn the heat up during the day while I am working on the upstairs computer, otherwise I spend my of my day downstairs near the woodstove – where most of the housework lives. Not to mention my laptop. The cyclamen and Guan Yin, the Bodhisattva of Compasion with all her magic tools, is the first thing I see when I wake up in the morning. Easy to start off the day in a good frame of mind when I can carry these images with me all during the day.

Pink tulips

This pot of pink tulips is still blooming even though they were planted at exactly at the same time as my round pot of tulips which I wrote about recently here. I treated them just the same, but when the round pot began to bloom so much earlier I started keeping this pot in the sitting room which is cooler room than our main living space.

Pink tulip close-up

The tulips are just beautiful in the early morning sun.

Paper whites – dried

It would be fun to say that the paper whites from Brent and Becky are still in bloom, like the cyclamen, after two months, but alas, it is not so. Still, I haven’t gotten rid of these flowers just because they have dried so beautifully. I don’t remember ever having this experience with paper whites before.

Carol of May Dreams Gardens has been hosting Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day for years. I love having the chance to what else is in bloom on the 15th of the month all across the land, and Bloom Day had given me a record of my own garden through the months and years. Thank you Carol!

On this Bloom Day the ground is covered with snow and the plow drifts are still substantial. My indoor blooms are modest. These paper whites, a bonus from Brent and Becky’s Bulbs, have been blooming for over a month. A couple of the stems collapsed, but I cut the blooms off and they continue in a little glass vase.

Primroses

This little pot of primroses was a door prize at the annual meeting of the Greenfield Garden Club. I will plant it outdoors when the snow is gone. We’ll see if it has enough vigor to survive after all these indoor days.

White Cyclamen

I found this little pot of white cyclamen in a forgotten corner of the piazza in the fall when I brought the houseplants in. I began to water it again and that is all it needed. It began to bloom before Christmas and will continue for a little while longer I think. They are beautiful on my bedroom windowsill.

I thank Carol at May Dreams Gardens every month for hosting Garden Bloggers Bloom Day and giving us all a chance to show what we have blooming. This is a great gift for us all, especially those who have so few winter blooms. Click here to see all those other blooms.

I never have much in bloom at this time of the year. but on this Garden Bloggers Boom Day I have something to show. My big Christmas cactus sits in the corner of our bedroom and thrives with no care at all. A smaller Christmas cactus sits on the kitchen divider, the only blooming plant in public space. Lots more blooms to come on both.

Cyclamen

This little pot of cyclamen , bought last February, spent the summer forgotten under a shelf on the piazza where it had fallen. When I brought plants indoors in September, this little plant was showing new growth. Brave little plant. And determined.

Succulent in bloom

I brought the two hypertufa troughs I made into the house in the fall, not because I was worried about the plants, but because I was worried about the troughs. The troughs, and my potted bulbs are resting in our unheated, but sunny, Great Room. Some of the succulents are hibernating, but this mystery plant is blooming, and has been blooming for over a month. If anyone has any ideas what type of succulent it is I’d be happy to know. The garden shop where I bought it, could not name it.

Thank you Carol for hosting Garden Bloggers Bloom Day over at May Dreams Gardens. Click here and see who else is celebrating – and with more energy that I am showing at the End of the Road.